Jamaat hands copy of court verdict to EC in bid to regain registration

A delegation from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has submitted a copy of the Appellate Division's verdict to the Election Commission (EC) in a bid to regain its party registration and electoral symbol.

The party handed a copy of the short verdict to Chief Election Commissioner ASM Nasir Uddin during a meeting at the EC headquarters on Sunday.

On Sunday, the Appellate Division overturned the High Court verdict that scrapped Jamaat's registration as a political party during the Awami League government's tenure.

Once the registration is restored, Jamaat, which had formed an alliance government with the BNP from 2001-06, will be able to contest the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election under its traditional election symbol, the scales.

Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman took to Facebook to welcome the verdict, urging the EC to take swift steps to restore the party's registration and to request "Allah's support".

In its verdict, the top court tasked the EC to take the next steps regarding Jamaat's registration and symbol as a constitutional body.

The EC said that it would make its decision once it has a copy of the Appellate Division's verdict.

Election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Begum Tahmida Ahmad, Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, brig gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, and EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed also attended the meeting.

The six-member Jamaat delegation was led by the party's Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman.